Auckland waterfront

Story

The Auckland waterfront is a city-side stretch of the southern Waitemata Harbour coastline in Auckland, New Zealand. Previously mostly dominated by Ports of Auckland uses, from the 2000s on it is becoming increasingly open to recreational public use, with a number of former wharves being converted to office, entertainment, and later also some residential uses.ExtentsThe waterfront stretches roughly from the suburb of Saint Marys Bay / the Auckland Harbour Bridge in the west to the Ports of Auckland areas in the east. However, in most usage, 'Auckland waterfront' only refers to those parts freely accessible to the public (such as around the Viaduct Basin and the Auckland CBD), and thus at the moment excludes much of the Western Reclamation and almost the whole of the Ports of Auckland area to the east.While Auckland City technically has a second waterfront on the Manukau Harbour, this is never called 'Auckland waterfront'.FutureDuring 2006, a prolonged public discussion about the future of the waterfront was begun, first by the start of public consultation on the future of the Western Reclamation, then by the plans for Stadium New Zealand on the land of Ports of Auckland. While the plans for Stadium New Zealand were eventually scrapped (partly because of complaints of some citizens that it would block harbour views, but mostly due to its effect on port operations), the discussion had shown that Aucklanders would prefer greater access to the waterfront, which is at the moment is still industrial land / port land in large areas.